Why Student Leadership for School Improvement?

MSA specializes in engaging diverse teams of students leaders as research and leadership partners for improving schools.

Students Offer a ‘Reality Check’ for Schools
If you want to understand how safe, respectful and engaging schools really are, just ask the students! Then ask the adults and compare their perceptions. MSA specializes in school climate improvement, made possible through youth leadership development. We strive to empower and develop diverse teams of students and adults leaders to work together to better understand their schools and to bring about powerful changes in school climate, safety, respect, and learning.

Student Leadership Drives School Improvement
A recent evaluation of our work by Clemson University’s National Dropout Prevention Center showed that our student leadership teams were helping to “drive” school improvement forward in 10 NH high schools. In 36 schools in Tennessee, the superintendent said, “things really started to happen when the students got involved”. We believe that diverse groups of students, working as researchers and leadership partners are vital school improvement assets.

We develop student leaders who document and teach adults what their schools are really like for ALL students. Their stories are compelling. The school-wide data they collect about school safety, climate and learning bring to light areas that require immediate attention and improvement. Student leaders work collaboratively with adult leaders to develop data-driven action plans and help adults implement powerful projects that result in safer, more respectful, more engaging, and more successful schools.

We Offer a Variety of Student Leadership Programs and Tools.
Summer Institutes for students and teachers, Full-day Teen Leadership Summits, Diversity and Equity Training Workshops, Workshops on School-based Prejudice and Discrimination, The Change Game: A Two Year School Reform Simulation Game (1/2 day), Interactive Student Leadership Webinars, Leadership Simulations, and Student –Led, on-line, pre-post School Climate Surveys for students, teachers, and parents.